Austin Reaves delivered another standout performance in what has become a breakout season, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 129-119 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, the night Anthony Davis returned to Los Angeles for the first time since his departure.
Reaves finished with 38 points, eight rebounds and three assists, easily surpassing Davis’ 12 points in 30 minutes during the former Lakers star’s first game back after missing 14 contests with a calf injury. After the final buzzer, the two exchanged jerseys at Davis’ request, and Reaves explained to reporters that Davis has long been one of the most skilled players he has ever seen and that he appreciates the confidence and guidance Davis gave him early in his career.
Reaves’ surge has pushed him into the top 10 in scoring across the league, ranking ninth at 28.5 points per game (at the time of this writing). Against Dallas, he hit 12 of his 15 shots and orchestrated the offense with ease. His 51.6 percent field goal mark is among the best for shooting guards this year and his 6.7 assists per game place him inside the top twenty overall.
Davis, who shared four seasons with Reaves in Los Angeles, told the media that none of this rise is unexpected and that Reaves has always had the talent to take on larger responsibilities, especially when LeBron James missed time earlier this season.
Reaves is tracking well above last year’s averages of 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists. Through fifteen games this season (as of this writing), he is producing 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists while functioning as a main engine of the Lakers’ offense. His breakout arrives at a critical contractual moment.
After turning down a four-year offer worth 89.2 million dollars from the Lakers last offseason, he is expected to decline his 14.9 million dollar player option and enter unrestricted free agency.
Front offices across the league believe his market value is about to skyrocket. On a recent appearance on The Zach Lowe Show, Dan Woike explained that the rising salary cap could allow outside teams to reach offers that begin around 42 million dollars per season, placing Reaves in the financial tier of stars such as Trae Young.
Under contract rules, the Lakers are the only team allowed to offer a five-year maximum deal projected at roughly 240.7 million dollars. Other teams are limited to four year proposals that cap at 178.5 million dollars, while a four year maximum from Los Angeles could reach 185.9 million dollars.
With more than 10 franchises projected to hold significant cap space this summer, Reaves is positioned to be one of the most sought after players on the open market.
